Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Burhan,

Alsalam Alaikum wa Rahmatu Allah wa Barakatuh.

I have a couple of questions regarding the question number mentioned above.

1. I was taught to do ghusul from sexual intercourse by washing the head first right side then left and then the right side of the body followed by the left side and through out the whole thing repeating "Allahuma ini atatahar min alrijs al azam"

in your email you said  that the prophet started by his private parts, did not repeat anything, and there was no mention of right or left side of the body.

2. I also understood from your email that after you take a bath you do not need to perform wodoo. in that case do you need to make any intention during your bath, or perform any other act.

Thank you.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Dua for wudu

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.273 Narrated by Maimuna (the chaste wife of the Prophet (saws))

Water was placed for the ablution of the Messenger of Allah (saws) after Janaba. He (saws) poured water with his right hand over his left twice or thrice and then washed his private parts and rubbed his hand on the earth or on a wall twice or thrice and then rinsed his mouth, washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out, and then washed his face and forearms, and poured water over his head, and washed his body. Then he shifted from that place and washed his feet. I brought a piece of cloth, but he did not take it and removed the traces of water from his body with his hand."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.248 Narrated by Aisha (the chaste wife of the Prophet (saws))

Whenever the Prophet (saws) took a bath after Janaba he started by washing his hands and then performed ablution like that for the prayer. After that he would put his fingers in water and move the roots of his hair with them, and then pour three handfuls of water over his head and then pour water all over his body.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.272 Narrated by Hisham bin Urwa

(on the authority of his father) 'Aisha said, "Whenever Allah's Apostle took the bath of Janaba, he cleaned his hands and performed ablution like that for prayer and then took a bath and rubbed his hair, till he felt that the whole skin of the head had become wet, then he would pour water thrice and wash the rest of the body."

Your question: in your email you said  that the prophet started by his private parts, did not repeat anything, and there was no mention of right or left side of the body.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) started his ghusl with the intention to purify himself from major sexual impurity by first washing his hands starting with his right hand (twice or thrice), then washing his private parts, then performing the wudu as one does for prayer, and then pouring water over his body so that no part of his body remained dry.

Other than starting his wudu in the name of Allah, the Messenger of Allah (saws) is not reported to have repeated anything during the act of wudu or ghusl in any of the authentic records of Sunnah; thus repeating anything constantly during the act of wudu or ghusl is not the practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

There are several authentic narrations whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) made supplications after he had finished the wudu:

Narrated Hadrat Umar ibn Al-Khattab (r.a.) that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: ‘None of you makes wudu and completes the wudu, then says: “I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah Alone, He has no partners; and I bear witness that Mohamed is His slave-servant and His Messenger”, except that all eight Gates of Paradise are opened for him, so he may enter by whichever he pleases.’

Related by Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhee, An Nisaae, and Ibn Maajah.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) supplicated Allah thus after he had completed his wudu, : “‘Allah hummaj alnee minat-tawwabeen, waj alnee minal mutah-tahereen’ (O Allah, make me one of those who constantly repents to You, and of those who purify themselves.)”

Related by At-Tirmidhee.

Abu Saeed Al Khudri narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “Whoever makes wudu then says upon finishing his wudu: ‘Subhanaka Allah humma wa bihamdika, ashhadu anlaa ilaaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilaik’ (Glory be to You O Allah, and all praise belongs to You; I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except You. I seek Your Forgiveness, and I turn to You), it is written in a parchment, then sealed and is not opened till the Day of Resurrection.”

As there is no particular mention of right or left except when washing the hands, in keeping with the general principles of the Sunnah, it is always better to start with the right when doing anything in Islam.

Your question: I also understood from your email that after you take a bath you do not need to perform wodoo. in that case do you need to make any intention during your bath, or perform any other act.

If a person performed post-sex ghusl but did not make ablution, the ghusl will suffice. Said 'Aishah (r.a.), "The Messenger of Allah (saws) did not perform ablution after ghusl." Ibn 'Umar (r.a.) said to a man who had told him that he performed ablution after ghusl, "You went too far." Says Abu Bakr ibn al-'Arabi, "There is no difference of opinion among the scholars that ablution falls under the category of ghusl. If the intention was to remove sexual impurity, it also includes the minor impurities, as what sexual impurity prevents is greater than what the minor impurities prevent. The smaller one falls under the greater one, and the intention for the greater one suffices.''

Thus, if one makes intention to purify himself/herself from major impurity before he/she performs the ghusl, he will not have to perform the purification from minor impurities (wudu). One needs to make only the intention of purification from major impurities, and that would suffice.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan